Makes your dogs look scarier when you want to intimidate people.
Thought cutting off ears prevented rabies. (pro-tip, it does not.)
Subsequently some places taxed working dogs that were not cropped/docked for some reason
Subsequently dog shows only permitted certain breeds to be shown if they were cropped/docked.
And now, aesthetics.
Less chance of losing the tail to injury while working, as seen in some herding, working, and gundog breeds
Nowadays, “happy tail syndrome”, where the dog wags against something so hard that the tail breaks (sometimes requiring amputation). Traditionally docked breeds such as boxers and Dobermans have long, whip-like tails that make them victims of this sometimes, but it’s also seen in breeds like Great Danes and Labradors.
Tail docking today is only done for aesthetics.
‘Happy tail’ injuries requiring amputation are very, very rare. We might see two per year across all our canine patients, and they’re almost always greyhounds, which are not traditionally docked anyway.
Even with my working, herding and gundogs, it’s rare to see any trauma to a tail beyond a little cut. Most major trauma is either the result of a car accident, or a dog fight.
Docking tails makes no significant impact in reducing the incidence of what are really very minor injuries.
It is done only because people think it looks pretty.
A greyhound has a ‘whip-like’ tail. Boxers and Dobermans actually have pretty decent, normal tails.
I’m glad the happy tail argument is off the table, but now I’m curious if it’s true that docking the tail helps prevent spinal issues with long dogs like Corgis and Dachshund?
Oh HELL NO.
The spinal issues in these breeds are due to a combination of breeding for the long back, and the short legs. While daschunds and corgis were the most common candidates for spinal surgery at the specialist clinic, we’d also see plenty of maltese, shih tzus, pugs and their crosses.
These breeds have been selected for
chondrodysplasia, often characterized by their short legs, and a ‘bow’ to the front legs. All dogs with this trait are more prone to intervertebral disc disease.
You want better backs? Breed for straighter, taller legs. Don’t chop off their tails.
The only tail I’ve ever know to be docked for medical reasons was a tiger at my homtown’s zoo (he wouldn’t stop chewing on it as a cub and it kept getting infected). And that was after a year-plus fight of trying non-surgical solutions.
Cheloneuniverse 